Tipperary boss Eamon O’Shea claims he’s learned from his mistake of last year – and his full focus is on Limerick ahead of Sunday’s Munster SHC clash.

O’Shea admits he took his eye off the sliothar a little 12 months ago in the build-up to facing the Treaty men, as he got caught up with club-related distractions.

Limerick won and went on to achieve an historic provincial triumph.

Twelve months on, Tipp are a more focused outfit after pushing Kilkenny close in the league final and are favoured to go toe to toe with Clare for the Munster title.

“You try to learn from every game, you always change when you don’t get a good performance,” said the pragmatic O’Shea.

“The period last year between the league final and the championship game against Limerick was a period where there were a lot of things going on and I maybe I didn’t have the focus I should have had.

“You had club games, we needed to focus a little bit more and I take some responsibility for that.”

O’Shea lives and works in Galway but insists that didn’t mean he was sheltered from the inevitable criticism that followed that loss to Limerick and later the defeat to Kilkenny in phase two of the qualifiers.

What annoyed him most was that the early exit prevented him and his backroom staff from working more extensively with the players in the summer – when he feels the game should be played.

The 55-year-old believes that as manager he’s only part of the rich hurling culture of the Premier county – and when he is replaced the baton will be passed to the next man with Tipp hurling in a stronger position.

“My heart is here and I know everything that happens here,” he said.

“There’s not a thing said or done here that I don’t know.

“I’m happy that in the last 12 months we’ve managed to get some new players in, and those who came in last year are a year further down the road.

“I do believe our attitude is good and we’re solid, and I believe we know what it takes to get where we want to get.

“So whether that‘s good enough to get us over the line against Limerick time will tell, I’ll be judged on that. But I do believe we have improved since last year.”

A dramatic improvement in Tipp’s play in the last third of the league campaign – their spring finally sparked with a crucial victory over Dublin – does not prompt O’Shea to hit back at the critics, even though he insisted through the storm that Tipp would come right.

Eamon O’Shea has no problem with the arrival of Sky Sports into the GAA broadcast market place.

While there has been heavy criticism in some quarters over the GAA’s decision to sell 14 live Championship matches to Sky this summer, O’Shea is happy to embrace change.

“Culture isn’t static – it’s a dynamic thing,” he said.

“The market place is different now and we all realise that in terms of the way we work and Sky Sports are just part of the ever-growing global market.

“If you’re away in the UK or London and meet people, they have a huge interest in the games and this will possibly increase that awareness.

“I don’t see it as a bad thing.”

Tipperary forward Lar Corbett

The open nature of the hurling Championship means the pressure is on all county managers, says Eamon O’Shea.

The Tipperary boss claimed: “There are probably nine teams that can win the All-Ireland, it’s very competitive – there’s a great equality among teams.

“In Munster any of the five teams could have a shot at it, you might rate the chance of some teams slightly higher and slightly less but, on any given day, any of those teams can win.

“The pressures are on because it’s so competitive and that has changed even in the space of five years. It has equalled out and the new approach to hurling has impacted greatly and has put pressure on all teams, including the traditional teams.”

Limerick have already lost one of their joint managers following Donal O’Grady’s resignation after an argument with the county board.

“What’s going on in Limerick doesn’t really involve us,” O’Shea said.

“The Championship fixture is the focus since the start of the year, the only team I can control is Tipperary.”

Maher had a fine ending to the League campaign, netting two goals in Tipperary’s semi-final win over Clare and he almost single handedly beat Limerick the last time the counties met in Thurles two years ago.

That day he was only returning from injury but when sprung from the bench he helped turn a seven-point deficit into a four-point victory.

“I think their support play around Bonner Maher seems to be a trait of this team, it’s a very positive trait for them,” says Ryan.

“They have some serious forwards, some good stickmen and they play with a lot of pace. As a team that’s something we know they have.

“If you look at the support runners coming off his shoulder, that seems to be a factor in the way that they play.

“That’s no major secret. I think people know he’s a crucial player. I think even if you go back to the last time we played Tipp in Thurles, Limerick were in a good position.

“And in fairness it was Bonner Maher who made the difference in the finish. He is a factor that we’re looking for.”

Ryan has watched Tipp closely and spied areas they can exploit.

“There definitely are a couple of areas where we feel we may be able to have some success. But we’re trying to bring our strengths to the table too.”